Bike EXIF » Triumph motorcycleshttp://www.bikeexif.com
Bike EXIF is a showcase for the world's most exciting custom motorcycles, from cafe racers to bobbers to street trackers.Sun, 02 Aug 2015 06:32:55 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Teeth Gnasher: Thor Drake’s Scrambler bikehttp://www.bikeexif.com/scrambler-bike
http://www.bikeexif.com/scrambler-bike#commentsWed, 29 Apr 2015 17:01:08 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19834
Thor Drake’s love for motorcycling and his desire to go beyond the ordinary can be seen in his latest project, a race-ready 2010-spec Triumph Scrambler. It’s at home on the track, in the woods and on the road.

Drake, part-owner of Portland-based See See Motor Coffee Co., has an easy smile and boyish exuberance. But it hides a tenacious spirit.

You need true Norwegian grit to organize the One Moto Show and operate a busy motorcycles-and-coffee shop. But Drake then spends every spare moment racing, planning races or helping others to race.

Why? “Racing makes man better,” he says. “Without racing and without a reason to try harder, why would you ever do anything?”

That competitive thinking led Drake to begin the scrambler bike project. He wanted an aesthetically pleasing bike: one that could perform well on the track and in the wooded hills around his home, but still feel good on the streets. The Triumph Scrambler emerged as a possible platform.

“Triumph built a bike that wasn’t ‘really good’ at anything, but you can do just about anything on it,” Drake says of the 900cc EFI Scrambler. “It’s not meant for racing, but you can race it.”

Drake mustered his Viking courage and asked Triumph for a bike to modify—or “destroy,” as he puts it.

He wasn’t holding his breath, but it worked out. “A magical wizard appeared one day and delivered a motorcycle. I was like, ‘Well, that was cool. Guess I’ve gotta follow through on everything I said I could do.'”

Drake knew the bike needed to be pleasing as well as functional. “All the little details, all the stuff that you touch, has to be metal. So I’ve essentially removed everything that’s plastic. I tried to give it a bit of a throwback to the scramblers you would see back in the day.”

Low-rise Renthal handlebars stay clean with See See’s own mini-switches, giving the Scrambler a quick ‘flat-track’ visual hit—while providing a comfortable riding position on and off the road.

Fenders from Lowbrow Customs hug gold anodized Sun rims from Buchanan’s, shod with a set of (soon to be replaced) flat track tires. “I need to get some proper tires before I give ‘er hell,” Drake notes.

A modified 2-into-2 high pipe exhaust from British Customs adds to the scrambler look, while providing an aggressive audio experience. (Plus extra horsepower, thanks to a mild remapping of the EFI system.) Speed Merchant engine cases match the polished cylinder fins and give the bike a ‘machined’ appeal.

On the topside, Drake leveled and ribbed the tank. “It’s something you used to do, because that’s where they welded the tank together. It’s adding more weight to the bike, but I like the way it breaks it up. It makes the tank look a little less massive.”

Cockpit mods include a custom seat pan with a 007-esque compartment for your wallet, phone or other important items. Ginger McCabe at New Church Moto provided the finishing touch—a covering of fine Langlitz leather.

After some minor work on the frame, Blakely Powdercoating sealed everything in a harmonious gray. “Then Tony’s Customs did the paint, as per my design,” says Drake. “He said, ‘Are you sure this is all you want? You don’t want me to pinstripe it?’ I said ‘No! Get your brush away from here.’ Though there is a time and place for pinstripe.”

With the look finally dialed in, Drake swung into action. “I’ve had it on the flat track, and I did a track day with it. Did a race, too: I think I was last place, but I didn’t expect to win. I was just trying it out. I’ve taken it out on the trails a little bit, and it’s really fun out there. You wick the throttle and it’s a lot of juice, especially for a dirt bike.”

Drake concedes that ‘Teeth Gnasher’ isn’t a full-blown custom, but it’s what he was hoping for. ” It’s a working man’s custom. Something you’re not afraid is going to get stolen, but something you can be proud of.”

The thought of having Thor Drake destroy your bike doesn’t sound so bad after all, does it?

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/scrambler-bike/feed0Live Fast: Kott Motorcycles’ racy Thruxtonhttp://www.bikeexif.com/kott-motorcycles
http://www.bikeexif.com/kott-motorcycles#commentsFri, 10 Apr 2015 17:01:39 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19674
From his home base in California, Dustin Kott’s earned a reputation for building café racers with exceptional proportions. So when Ryan Reynolds was looking to add another bike to his already enviable collection, Dustin got the call.

The star of the upcoming Deadpool movie is an avid motorcyclist, with a taste for classically-styled machines. (His collection includes numbers from Deus and Raccia Motorcycles). Now he was looking to transform a 2014-model, fuel-injected Triumph Thruxton.

It’s not a make or model we’re used to seeing from Kott Motorcycles, but that didn’t deter Dustin. “The end goal was to transform the linear and aesthetic proportions of the machine to accommodate Ryan’s special requests,” he says, “and to reveal exactly what lay dormant within the modern Thruxton’s unrealized potential.”

Dustin’s first step was to ride the Thruxton to get a feel for the stock machine. “After the first ride the idea was not so much to fix the machine,” he explains, “but rather enhance the ride to allow the rider to feel more engaged, more required, and maybe slightly less docile.”

The biggest issue, in Dustin’s mind, was the lack of of a cohesive line from the Thruxton’s steering stem to its tail—particularly the frame’s drop from the tank to the seat. So he set about modifying the frame to perfect its linear flow—adding some neat perforated steel panels in the process.

As a side effect, Dustin now had space to stash away the Thruxton’s wiring harness, ECU, fuse box, fuel injection module and downsized lithium battery. Which then highlighted the next challenge: the Thruxton’s in-tank fuel pump.

Dustin wanted to fit a vintage Japanese tank to the Triumph, and settled on a late model Yamaha XS1100 unit. “Some may feel that fitting a Japanese tank to a British motorcycle is the final insult. But our thinking was that of dimensional and aesthetic liberty.

“It allowed for a taller tank-height-to-triple-clamp ratio, which always gives the impression of desirable fullness.”

Luckily the XS tank had enough internal space to retrofit the Triumph’s fuel pump inside. Plus, the vacant space between the frame’s backbone and the tank’s tunnel turned out to be a great place to stick the ignition switch.

To finish off the bodywork, Dustin fabricated one of his signature, round bar constructed tail units. Any electrical components that hadn’t already found a home were relocated to under the cowl, and a discreet LED taillight installed.

The focus then shifted to the bike’s handling. Keeping things British, Dustin fitted a pair of high-performance Hagon shocks and Avon tires. He then designed new rearset plates around the Thruxton’s frame down tubes, improving the riding position in the process. Up front, clip-ons were an obvious choice, paired with the original controls.

To wring the maximum performance out of the Triumph twin, the EFI was remapped and the stock exhaust system swapped for a stainless steel Arrow two-into-one system. “It sounds absolutely brutal at speed,” says Dustin. The airbox also gave way to velocity stacks.

Dustin’s handiwork is evident throughout the build—from the subtle inner rear fender to the custom-made exhaust and engine mounts.

When it came to finishing options, Dustin wanted to stick with a factory Thruxton vibe, “while redefining the overall stance and ride-ability.” To match the brushed metal casings, the majority of new components were given a brushed nickel or aluminum appearance.

There’s brandy-wine paint on the tank and tail, enhanced with pewter gold pinstriping. And reddish brown leather covering over the seat foam. All beautifully done.

One little detail is missing, though: the speedo. Instead, painted in a neat script onto the headlight bucket, are the immortal words ‘Live Fast’. It’s a typically neat and sympathetic touch from Kott, and sums up the spirit of traditional café racers.

Looks like Mr Reynolds has a knack for choosing builders as well as scripts.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/kott-motorcycles/feed0The Hunter: A Scrambler With Extra Firepowerhttp://www.bikeexif.com/2014-triumph-scrambler
http://www.bikeexif.com/2014-triumph-scrambler#commentsMon, 23 Mar 2015 17:01:10 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19570
The Triumph Scrambler’s biggest selling point is its looks. It might not be the strongest contender in the performance department, but it has a nostalgic appeal that few others can match. And it’s easy to upgrade.

This stunning Triumph Scrambler was built by Erne’s Euromotos—a dealership and custom shop in Zürich, Switzerland. It’s the perfect blueprint for anyone wanting to transform his or her own Scrambler with performance-based mods.

The engine gets a big power boost via larger valves, hotter cams, and a higher compression ratio. To increase airflow, Erne’s modified the air box, fitted a free-flowing filter, and installed a Zard exhaust system. The fuel injection was then remapped—making this particular Scrambler good for a reported 95hp.

Given this significant jump in power, suspension and braking upgrades were in order. A Brembo P4 braking setup was added at the front, along with a Galfer disc designed for the Thruxton.

Öhlins suspension components were set up at both ends: FG324 upside-down forks at the front, and S36P shocks out back. The forks are held in place by new triple trees from LSL, and the tires are Continental’s dual-sport-specific TKC80s.

LSL also supplied a set of X01 Superbike bars, bar risers, and adjustable clutch and brake levers. Other (less obvious) LSL parts include a chain guard, sprocket cover, main and passenger foot pegs and foot controls. The regulator, ignition and horn have all been relocated to clean up the front end as much as possible.

Erne’s dipped into the JvB-moto catalogue too—fitting a JVB headlight, side panels and rear fender. A Motogadget Motoscope Tiny speedo was installed via Motogadget’s m-TRI: a signal adapter designed specifically for plugging Motogadget components into modern Triumphs with minimal fuss. The bar-end turn signals are Motogadget’s m-Blaze Discs.

After a little back-and-forth on paint, the client settled on a satin olive green for the tank and fender. The Triumph emblem on the tank and Erne’s logos on the side panels were done in gold, taking cues from the distinctive Öhlins components. Gold highlights can be found elsewhere too: like the adjustment dials on the levers.

Rounding off the bike is a slimmer, shorter seat with custom upholstery. The diamond-stitch pattern has been created with a green thread that’ll darken over time to match the tank. That pattern is replicated on the grips—a pair of Biltwell Thrusters—which is typical of the well-considered detailing on this project.

The Scrambler’s brawny stance and olive finish have earned it the moniker Le Chasseur (‘The Hunter’).

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/2014-triumph-scrambler/feed0Red Alert: Down & Out’s Triumph Bonneville SEhttp://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-bonneville-se
http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-bonneville-se#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 17:01:17 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19532
Down & Out probably isn’t the most auspicious name for a business. But Shaun Walker sleeps easy at night: business at his Sheffield, England workshop is booming.

For the past 15 years, Shaun has been building very tidy, sharp-looking customs. He works mostly on older BMWs these days, but also professes a liking for the modern Triumph Bonneville. “It was time to build something that was going to be good around the streets,” he says, “so the ‘Street Bob’ was born.”

It’s a 2013-model Triumph Bonneville SE, which came straight from the factory with a bold red frame. “The red frame wasn’t my first choice,” Shaun admits. “And the standard mag wheels…not so good, either. But the bike had only 900 miles on the clock, and was like new—so the deal was sealed.”

The first job was to remove as many standard parts as possible, to lose weight without compromising function. The first change was the wheels, with the stock mags making way for a Triumph Thruxton pair. They’ve been rebuilt with new stainless steel spokes, and treated to satin black powdercoat on the rims and hubs.

A further hint of the performance focus comes from the tires: sport touring rubber in the shape of the highly-rated Michelin Pilot Road 3.

To sharpen up the handling even more, Shaun has upgraded the suspension with Thruxton forks and YSS shocks. New bars and risers from LSL move the controls closer to the rider, and the German specialist has also provided a chain guard, sprocket cover and ignition relocation switch—plus new levers and footpegs.

High-end Teutonic design also features in the cockpit, which has been cleaned up with the help of a Motogadget speedo. (A hidden m-Unit tidies up the electrics elsewhere.)

The fenders, side panels and headlight surround are carbon fiber—not a material you’d normally associate with the retro Bonneville SE. But they all play their part in reducing the avoirdupois. The stock tank has been repainted in satin red and black, and there’s a new, one-off seat upholstered in black leather.

It’s the exhaust system that gives the biggest visual fillip, though. Made by Zard, the high pipes had a damaged muffler when Shaun picked them up. So he kept the headers and fabricated a new slimline end can. It looks amazing, and we’re betting it sounds amazing too.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-bonneville-se/feed0Bonneville Performance Triumph Street Trackerhttp://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-street-tracker-2
http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-street-tracker-2#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 17:01:31 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19394
The custom motorcycle scene is a fascinating but often uneasy battle between form and function. Occasionally the two worlds collide in spectacular style—and that’s what happens when you buy a Triumph street tracker from Florida-based Bonneville Performance.

Owner Bill Gately also runs an AMA Pro Flat Track team, which is sponsored by Triumph. So he knows how to make a bike go very fast.

For between $24,000 and $26,500, Bill will sell you one of his road-legal Street Trackers, with your choice of setup and performance package. Yes, it’s Ducati Panigale money—but it’s also money well spent.

No matter what engine you select, the core of the BP Street Tracker remains the same. You get a frame and top-braced swingarm made from 4130 cromoly—the same rig used on the race bikes. The wheels are 19-inch Sun alloy forged aluminum items, with stainless steel spokes and Barnes-style hubs.

Suspension is top-drawer stuff too. Up front are Yamaha R6 forks: rebuilt, re-sprung and lengthened. They’re attached to the frame with adjustable triple clamps, with offsets ranging from one to seven millimeters. Behind the rider is an Öhlins three-way adjustable shock—with the spring rate matched to the rider’s weight.

Braking is via a mix of Beringer and Performance Machine components, with full floating rotors and a multitude of pistons: six at the front and four at the back.

The real fun comes when you spec the engine. It’ll be a 2005 or later Triumph parallel twin, with a firing order of 360 degrees (Bonneville) or 270 degrees (America, Speedmaster and Scrambler).

A dynamically balanced crankshaft will replace the counter balance system, and you also get new Carrillo rods, hotter cams, oversized intake valves, Nikasil-plated cylinder sleeves, and ported heads and intake manifolds.

Fuel enters via a 41 mm Mikuni TM carb kit, and the exhaust system is Bonneville Performance’s own 2-into-1 stainless steel piping, terminated with a SuperTrapp silencer. If you prefer a darker look, simply ask for it to be ceramic coated in black.

The biggest decision to make is engine capacity and power. There are four capacities ranging from 865 to 1100cc, with varying bores and compression ratios. The 904cc spec will give you 82 rear-wheel horsepower, whereas the 995cc race-spec motor uses a 13.5:1 compression ratio to deliver a hefty 101 rwhp.

For a bike that only weighs just over 350 pounds—or 160 kilos—that’s ample grunt.

Complete power junkies can ask for a 1200cc motor. With the help of a lengthened stroke, this one sends 104 horses to the rear wheel but keeps the compression ratio to a friendly 10.5:1.

Bill’s developed his engine kits with the help of Wiseco, and they’ve been tested on the track. Even the paper gaskets are specifically made for the uprated motors, and the engines are heat-cycled to break them in and seal the rings.

With many customs, you have to choose between fast, cheap or good. But Bonneville Performance gives you two out of three, and that ain’t bad. At all.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-street-tracker-2/feed0Barely Legal: Maria’s stripped-back Bonnevillehttp://www.bikeexif.com/maria-motorcycles
http://www.bikeexif.com/maria-motorcycles#commentsWed, 11 Feb 2015 17:01:06 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19298
Most custom shops would relish the opportunity to take a second crack at a build—especially if it was one of their early efforts. So the crew at Lisbon’s Maria Motorcycles must have been smiling when this Triumph Bonneville found its way back onto their bench.

The bike in question is “Silly Kid”: a 2006 Bonnie that belongs to a good friend of the workshop. “It was one of our first projects,” says Maria’s Luis Correia. “A trial bike for many things we wanted to experiment with.”

“Our client is very much into the custom culture, and wanted his Bonnie to be something totally different from everything else. Ideally, when people look at it, they won’t know what bike it is.”

Last time the Bonnie left Maria’s workshop, it had a fiberglass tank, a shortened subframe and custom-made seat. Maria had also fitted new handlebars and controls, and trimmed the switchgear down—moving the ignition and start button to the left side of the bike in the process.

The clocks and turn signals were ditched along the way too. But this time, the owner was after an even more minimalist vibe—even if that meant it wouldn’t strictly be street legal.

“He wanted it to be as simple as possible in terms of equipment,” explains Luis, “with a front end similar to a competition dirt bike.” So Maria traded the headlight for a discreet LED strip and cleaned up the front end still further.

Under the seat (where number boards had previously been fitted) the airbox was removed and the battery relocated to a custom-made box. The Bonnie was already kitted with a two-into-one exhaust system from Zard, so Maria installed a pair of K&N filters and tuned the carbs to tweak its performance.

To improve handling the front suspension was shortened and stiffened—matched up to an existing set of Bitubo rear shocks. The tires are Metzeler Tourances: dual-sport items with a road bias.

Luis and his crew opted to keep the seat that they’d previously made, but wanted to improve the fuel tank. Taking design cues from the fiberglass unit they were replacing, they hand made a new steel tank with slightly more capacity.

It was treated to a unique color scheme, with accents picked up by new Posh grips and a bright red front sprocket cover. The rims and engine were repainted too.

With a bunch of stock parts shed—and selective performance upgrades—the Bonnie’s now lighter, lower and more agile. Luis reckons it’s more fun to ride than any Bonnie they’ve built to date.

PS: The Bike EXIF calendar is on sale. For a limited time, you can get 13 months of great photography (up to January 2016) for just ten dollars. And we’ll also include a $10 Revzilla Gift Card. Order now with code ‘599’ at checkout—it’s strictly first come, first served.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/maria-motorcycles/feed0Original Cafe Racer: Adam Grice’s killer Tritonhttp://www.bikeexif.com/cafe-racer-motorcycle
http://www.bikeexif.com/cafe-racer-motorcycle#commentsWed, 14 Jan 2015 17:01:32 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=19112
The term ‘café racer’ has become so abused, it’s lost virtually all meaning. (Okay, we’re occasionally guilty too.) So let’s go back to square one, and check out a bike that fits the description to a T.

This drop-dead gorgeous Triton belongs to Englishman Adam Grice, who saw the light after getting tired of modern Japanese sport bikes. “I was watching Cafe Racer on Discovery Channel, and found myself hooked on the cafe scene,” he tells us. “After months of looking for the right bike, I finally stumbled across Brenda.”

‘Brenda’ is hardly the most glamorous name. But maybe that’s the English sense of irony at work. Adam’s Triton has the perfect aristocratic pedigree: a 744 cc Triumph T140V engine from the mid Seventies snuggled into a ‘wideline’ Norton featherbed frame.

Straight away, Adam knew that he’d have to get the spanners out. “The bike was all there, but running rough. And it just didn’t look right. It had straight bars, a little fly screen, and fiberglass fuel and oil tanks. Plus a strange battery box sitting halfway along the rear fender.”

On the up side, the Triton already had the desirable short Norton Roadholder forks with external springs, 18-inch alloy rims, and a few Dresda bits—including the swingarm and engine mounts.

Adam also lucked out with an SRM Classics clutch, a Boyer Brandsen ignition, and a Hayward primary belt drive kit. The oil filter was from a Norton Commando and there’s a Norvil front disc conversion. “Not period, but works a treat,” he notes.

He’s rebuilt the engine with a multitude of new parts and Amal Mark 1 concentric 930 carbs, complete with bell mouths. “It had high compression pistons, but the previous owner had reduced the height of the ten head bolts. God knows why—it cost me two blown head gaskets. So I replaced the cylinder barrels and head, and reverted back to standard pistons for reliability.”

With the help of a mate called Shorty, Adam has also installed an alloy five-gallon Manx tank, which conceals the ignition and coils underneath. The oil tank is also in the Manx style, with the front squared-off to increase the space between the tank and carbs.

Other goodies include a Manx seat, a Norvin top yoke, and stainless mounts to hold the classy Smith instruments. Magnificent English names have provided other parts: John Tickle for the headlight brackets, and Barleycorn Engineering for the rearsets, seat loop and rear fender. The only concession to modernity is the lithium-ion battery hiding under the seat hump.

Much as we love the current trend for scramblers and trackers, a traditional café racer like this exerts an irresistible pull. Maybe it’s time for the loop to go full circle?